Mets plan to keep both catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki in mix next season

The Mets have two young catchers projected to be frontline players. And at least for next season, they are planning to keep both.

BOCA RATON — The Mets have two young catchers projected to be frontline players. And at least for next season, they are planning to keep both Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki, with the possibility that one may be getting at-bats at another position, Mets assistant GM John Ricco said Tuesday.

"Catching is, we've said this many times, a position you can't have enough depth," said Ricco, who is filling in for GM Sandy Alderson at the GM meetings this week. "We have two guys we think are frontline catchers. I think there are ways for us, especially in the short term, ways to make use of both of them.

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"Short term I don't think we'd be talking about either one of them, because they are both gonna help us win."

Ricco said the Mets have yet to "engage" in any serious talks with teams or agents about any possible moves, with all talks at the preliminary stage. Ricco is heading the Mets' three-man assistant GM team here as Alderson undergoes a medical procedure back in New York.

"I think we want to be a little more measured," Ricco said of the Mets' winter approach. "We have a good team. We're pretty confident in what we have. We have some spots, but they are a little more subtle. And I think we want to explore both via trade and the market the best way to get to that depth that we need to have."

That is the same approach the Mets are taking with d'Arnaud and Plawecki, who have both projected to be frontline catchers.

"I don't think we feel urgency at all," Ricco said. "Kevin is still learning and developing and Travis still has to show that he can be a healthy full-time guy for a full year. So I think on both ends that would lead you to say we can back Travis off a little bit and maybe we can give Kevin a little more time. … If they're both playing at an elite level and they're kind of tripping over each other and it's a situation where there's resentment, then I think you think about it longer. But the state of catching around the game gives you pause."

D'Arnaud had two different stints on the disabled list in 2015, playing just 67 regular season games because of a broken bone in his hand and a sprained elbow. He hit .268 with 41 RBI and 12 home runs in those 67 games.

The Mets still feel Plawecki will be a good big-league hitter. Ricco explained that the adjustment period for rookie catchers is longer offensively, citing d'Arnaud's struggles in the beginning of 2014.

"Catchers, their first job when they come up is to learn the pitchers, run the game. They have a lot on their plate and hitting comes next," Ricco said. "Yeah, we think he is going to hit."

Ricco said d'Arnaud's struggles against the Royals' running game in the World Series did not worry the Mets.

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The Royals stole seven bases on d'Arnaud in the series, four in Game 5 alone.

"He threw better than that throughout the season," Ricco said. "I don't know if it was the length of the season and he just generally wore down. They're a pretty good running team against everybody. There's some of that. That's something we'll sit back and talk about with (catching coach) Bob Geren."

Ricco said it was possible both catchers could play some at a different position to get their bats in the lineup.